New Perfume Review: Carner Barcelona El Born + The Heart of La Ribera Draw

carner barcelona bottle cafleurebon

Carner Barcelona is a line I am just beginning to explore, so I was happy to receive a sample of their latest fragrance, El Born. El Born is a section of the La Ribera district in Barcelona, and is known for its creative culture and color, as well as its links to Medieval times.

carner Barcelona el born street art cafleurebon

"Street Art Barcelona (El Born)" by Leyla Alyamak

Wanting to create an olfactory impression of El Born in  perfume, Creative Director Sara Carner and Perfumer Jaques Huclier made the fragrance a bit boozy and honeyed, lying on a soft bed of wood, vanilla, and resins. Perhaps they were thinking of revelers drinking honeyed mead in Medieval days. The first few minutes after putting the fragrance on skin is wonderfully heady, and my first thought was, “what a pretty perfume!” Soon I have a little visit from earthy fig, and catch a whiff of jasmine. After a little while the base notes, including the brand’s signature of wood in every scent, become more prominent on my skin and I feel a nice calm. I wore it to work today and it was really humid. I kept getting puffs of fragrance long after I thought it was gone. One thing I really like about this fragrance is that although the top opens quite vividly and beautifully, its strength gives way to a softness that is perfect for the long haul. I have a feeling that since I had a dab sample vial, which can be fine for many perfumes, that in this case the fragrance would be much more expansive when sprayed, which would make it all the more complex and lovely. I would like to experience that pleasure.

Notes: Sicilian Lemon, Calabrian Bergamot, Angelica, Honey, Fig, Heliotrope, Benzoin from Laos, Egyptian Jasmine, Madagascan Vanilla Absolute, Peru Balsam, Australian Sandalwood, Musk

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Sara Carner, Founder of Carner Barcelona

I really enjoyed this perfume and am looking forward to exploring more from the Carner Barcelona line. The company was founded by Fashion Designer Sara Carner in 2010, who returned to her native Barcelona from New York City to follow her passion for fine fragranceand start her own Perfumery.

I received my sample courtesy of Twisted Lily Fragrance Boutique and Apothecary. El Born will be available at Twisted Lily soon and is available for preorder info@twistedlily.com.

Tama Blough, Managing Editor

Thanks to the kindness of the folks at Twisted Lily, we have a sample of El Born to give one lucky reader in the US. Let us know what appeals to you about this perfume, if you have a favorite Carner Barcelona  perfume. (You will need to be patient as we had a preview sample. The winner should expect their sample within 2-4 weeks). Draw ends July 19, 2014.

Editor's Note:   El Born is the fifth fragrance in the collection, which we first discovered at Elements Showcase in NYC and includes Tardes, D600, Cuirs (a Fragrance Foundation finalist in the Indie Category, 2012) and Rima XI.

We announce the winners only on site and on our Facebook page, so Like Cafleurebon and use our RSS option…or your dream prize will be just spilled perfume.

 

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20 comments

  • I love the notes in this one and that it works on a hot humid day! I live in the USA. Thanks for the draw!

  • I can’t help but think of the smell of bourbon as I read Tama’s review. Anything with vanilla and honey makes me happy!

    US resident… thanks for the draw!

  • I don’t have a favorite because I’m now just hearing of this house. Since from the article this seems to be anything but linear I’d love to try some. US

  • I have several Carner Barcalona fragrances. This one definitely has all the notes that my skin loves. Love the the strength gives way to a long haul of softness. I am in the US

  • My keyboard is seriously in need of replacement… ya, it gets the blame, because it’s true 🙂 Excuse the Typo Carner Barcelona! Of course it might help if I proof-read before submitting the captcha 😉

  • I like the fact that this perfume is intended to capture the essence of a specific -place- (in this case El Born). Of the Carner Barcelona fragrances I’ve tried, I like Tardes. I live in the US.

  • I am excited about the sound of honeyed woods and resins! I would also love to go to Spain sometime 🙂 and this sounds close. I am in the US, and I have not tried any perfumes from this house yet.

  • Monoatomic says:

    I have only tried Tardes so far but I really liked it a lot. I’m intrigued to try El Born since I liked Tardes so much and am intrigued by the line.

    Plus who doesn’t love Barcelona?!

  • Monoatomic says:

    I should mention that I’m in the US…and also that usually I’m able to describe my interest in something using other words besides just “intrigued”….

  • The video really drew me in and brought back memories of Spain which long to return to some day soon. Would love to sample El Born!
    I live in the US. Thanks!

  • I haven’t had the chance to try any for the Carner Barcelona line, other than Cuirs, which was very much not for me. On the other hand, so many of these notes appeal to me- honey, fig, benzoin, balsam, jasmine… it sounds magnificent. I’m in the US.

  • Love a big citrusy fanfare and long, whispering drydown–soft yet persistent. I’m in the US.

  • I like the idea of citrus honey and fig in the El Born
    My favorite Carner Barcelona is D600. US 🙂

  • Jennifer Witt says:

    My favorite Carner Barcelona is Tardes – I’d love to ry El Born. I live in the US.

  • Angelica, honey, and fig make this fragrance sound like a perfect summer experience. When I think El Born I want to take a deep breath, and then smile.

  • What appeals to me about El Born is the booze and fig. I am also a fan of honey notes, but I think the first two I mentioned would be the main aspects that I mentioned are the ones that attract me the most in the notes list. I’ve only briefly smelled Tardes, so I don’t exactly have a favorite Carner yet.

    Thanks for the draw. I am in the US.

  • I’m a US resident and the way Tama describes it, I’m all in!The notes sound divine. My favorite fragrance in the line is D-600 and thanks for the draw!

  • Boozy, honey, vanilla, resins….Yum! I have to try this! I am unfamiliar with the line. I am in the US. Thanks!

  • Carner Tardes is my favorite thus far, but pf course it is the only Carner I’ve tried. El Born appeals to me because the notes just sound too delicious for words. I’m in the U.S., thanks.

  • Cynthia Richardson says:

    The fig note appeals most to me in this fragrance. I have not yet tried any other perfumes from this line.